If you’ve been counting, you’ll notice I’m 52 recipes short of my 365 goal. *Sigh* I cooked something new 6 days a week for a year. Gimme a break! I’ll post some make up recipes later on. For now, I’m reviewing and selecting the best of the year to compile into a cookbook. And cooking as little as possible.

Combine the garlic cloves, parsley, and olive oil in a small food processor until the garlic breaks down into small pieces. If you’re using sliced mozzarella, stack the cheese slices and cut into 1 inch squares.

Heat the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. When the butter melts, add the chopped garlic to the butter along with a pinch of salt and allow the mixture to cook for 2 minutes, stirring as necessary so the garlic does not brown. Remove from heat.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Using a sharp serrated knife, make 1 inch diagonal cuts across the loaf of bread making sure you don’t cut the bread all the way through. Use a spoon to drizzle the garlic butter into the the cuts of the bread. Stack 3-4 cheese squares and place them in the cuts. Place the garlic bread on a sheet of foil and fold up the sides. Use a second piece to cover the top (we’ll be removing this later). Allow the bread to bake for 10 minutes. Remove the top piece of foil and allow the bread to bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese melts completely. Serve warm.

Roasted poblano chiles stuffed with loads of cheese, battered with an airy egg coating, and fried until crispy equate to the Mexican version of comfort food. Chiles rellenos fillings can range from ground or stewed meats to a medley of vegetables, but this recipe sticks to classic cheese. Our spicy roasted tomato salsa is the perfect foil to all of the fatty goodness here, but a Smooth Salsa Verde would also be tasty.

Game plan: Separate the eggs while they’re still cold, which will make them easier to handle; then let them come to room temperature. And make sure there are no traces of yolk in the whites, or the whites will not whip properly.

Coring and removing the seeds from the peppers is easier before roasting and keeps the peppers from tearing while stuffing in the cheese. Roasting over a gas flame keeps the peppers’ shape and texture intact during frying, but if you don’t have a gas stove, use the broiler in your oven (instructions below).

This recipe was featured as part of No-Fail Mexican Favorites for Cinco de Mayo by Christine Gallary

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and onions and saute until the onions are translucent. Stir in the flour, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly stir the broth (and reserved canned mushroom liquid if using) into the onion mixture, then stir in the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture has thickened, 7 to 10 minutes.

Add the chicken, rice, toasted almonds, pimientos, parsley, salt and pepper into the wet mixture. Pour everything into the prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, 30 to 45 minutes.